The American Numismatic Association and the Professional Numismatists Guild have agreed to jointly sponsor the Official Pre-Show prior to the ANA World’s Fair of Money for three years beginning with the ANA Chicago convention in August 2011, ANA Executive Director Larry Shepherd and PNG Executive Director Bob Brueggeman have announced.

The Official Pre-Show will be held, when possible, in the same hall as the World’s Fair of Money on Friday through Monday prior to the convention. The ANA convention will be Tuesday through Saturday, closing each day at 5:30 p.m. The Pre-Show will be limited to wholesale business.

“This agreement is a big step forward for anyone who wants to attend a pre-show at an ANA convention,” said Shepherd. “Once established at the Official Pre-Show, dealers will not have to move or set up again for the World’s Fair of Money. They’ll be able to check into their hotels, walk over to the convention hall and set up one time for both shows. Everything – including the grading services and the ANA sanctioned auctions – will be in the same location. The ANA also will provide security between the end of the Pre-Show and the start of the main convention, so dealers can secure their inventory at their tables.”

“This will be a huge improvement for dealers because of the convenience and, importantly, the improved safety and security,” said Brueggeman. “There are benefits for collectors, too. This arrangement for a consistent and successful ANA/PNG Pre-Show should encourage more dealers to remain through the entire convention because it could shorten by several days the amount of the time they’re on the road.”

All ANA members in good standing will be offered tables at the Official Pre-Show; any dealer applying for a table must be registered for an equal or greater number of tables at the World’s Fair of Money. Costs will be held to a minimum to make it economical for all dealers, both PNG and non-PNG, to participate.

Shepherd said he sees the agreement as significantly enhancing the overall experience at the World’s Fair of Money while solving an ongoing problem created by unauthorized pre-shows diverting business away from the World’s Fair of Money and its official auction. He explained unauthorized pre-shows currently capitalize on the extraordinary investment the ANA makes in time, money and resources to organize a show, but without sharing in the expense. (more…)